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by Rainer Maria Rilke (1875 - 1926)
Translation © by Pierre Mathé

Da stieg ein Baum. O reine Übersteigung!
Language: German (Deutsch) 
Our translations:  FRE
Da stieg ein Baum. O reine Übersteigung!
O Orpheus singt! O hoher Baum im Ohr.
Und alles schwieg. Doch selbst in der verschweigung
ging neuer Anfang, Wink und Wandlung vor.

Tiere aus Stille drangen aus dem klaren
gelösten wald von Lager und Genist;
und da ergab sich, daß sie nicht aus List
und nicht aus Angst in sich so leise waren,

sondern aus Hören. Brüllen, Schrei, Geröhr
schien klein in ihren Herzen. Und wo eben
kaum eine Hütte war, dies zu empfangen,

ein Unterschlupf aus dunkelstem Verlangen
mit einem Zugang, dessen Pfosten beben, --
da schufst du ihnen Tempel im Gehör.

Available sung texts: (what is this?)

•   H. Birtwistle 

H. Birtwistle sets line 1

About the headline (FAQ)

Text Authorship:

  • by Rainer Maria Rilke (1875 - 1926), no title, appears in Die Sonette an Orpheus 1, no. 1 [author's text checked 1 time against a primary source]

Musical settings (art songs, Lieder, mélodies, (etc.), choral pieces, and other vocal works set to this text), listed by composer (not necessarily exhaustive):

  • by Günter Bialas (1907 - 1992), "Da stieg ein Baum", 1946 [ medium voice and orchestra ], from Orpheus singt. Sonette an Orpheus für mittlere Stimme und Orchester, no. 5 [sung text not yet checked]
  • by Harrison Birtwistle, Sir (1934 - 2022), "Elegy 1, Sonnet I, 1", 2003-04, first performed 2004, line 1 [ oboe, harp and countertenor ], from Orpheus elegies, no. 1, Boosey & Hawkes [sung text checked 1 time]
  • by Nicolas Bolens (b. 1963), "Animal from the stillness...", 1995 [ string quartet ], from Streichquartett; Sur quelques Mots de Rainer Maria Rilke, no. 1, Editions Papillon [sung text not yet checked]
  • by Alexis Chalier (b. 1960), "Da stieg ein Baum. O reine Übersteigung!", 1996 [ chorus and orchestra ], from Le mythe d'Orphée, no. 1 [sung text not yet checked]
  • by Arthur Dangel (b. 1931), "Tempel im Gehör", op. 41 no. 2 [ violin and voices ], from Orpheus, no. 2 [sung text not yet checked]
  • by Arthur Dangel (b. 1931), "Brüllen, Schrei, Geröhr schien klein in ihrem Herzen", op. 41 no. 3 [ violin and voices ], from Orpheus, no. 3 [sung text not yet checked]
  • by Arthur Dangel (b. 1931), "Da stieg ein Baum", op. 41 no. 4 [ violin and voices ], from Orpheus, no. 4 [sung text not yet checked]
  • by Robert Edler (1912 - 1986), "Sonett 1 (Chor)", op. 59 no. 1 (1970) [ tenor, speaker, chorus and orchestra ], from Sonette an Orpheus, no. 1 [sung text checked 1 time]
  • by Vivian Fine (1913 - 2000), "Sonnet to Orpheus", 1984 [ voice and string quartet ], from Ode to Henry Purcell, no. 1 [sung text checked 1 time]
  • by Francesc Xavier Gelabert i Muntaner (b. 1976), "Tiere aus Stille", 2011 [ soprano, male voice, flute, and percussion ], from Die Stille vor Stille, no. 3, revised 2017; Donemus [sung text not yet checked]
  • by Francesc Xavier Gelabert i Muntaner (b. 1976), "Tiere aus Stille", 2011 [ soprano, male voice, flute, and percussion ], from Die Stille vor Stille, no. 9, revised 2017; Donemus [sung text not yet checked]
  • by Stanley Grill (b. 1953), "Da stieg ein Baum", copyright © 2012 [ tenor and piano ], from Sonnets to Orpheus, no. 1, confirmed with an online score [sung text checked 1 time]
  • by John Hawkins (b. 1944), "Da stieg ein Baum", 1997, first performed 1998 [ tenor and piano ], from Drei Sonette an Orpheus, no. 1 [sung text not yet checked]
  • by Volker David Kirchner (b. 1942), "Da stieg ein Baum", 1968/87, copyright © 1989 [ baritone, horn and piano ], from Orfeo, no. 1, Mainz [etc.] : Schott [sung text not yet checked]
  • by Volker David Kirchner (b. 1942), "Da stieg ein Baum", 1968/87, copyright © 1989 [ baritone, horn and piano ], from Orfeo, no. 9, Mainz [etc.] : Schott [sung text not yet checked]
  • by Hans-Jürg Meier (1964 - 2015), "Tempel im Gehör", 2011 [ vocal quartet ], from ...und die Musik, immer neu, baut im unbrauchbaren Raum..., no. 2 [sung text not yet checked]
  • by Alessandro Melchiorre (b. 1951), "Primo sonetto ad Orfeo", 1988 [ voice, flute, trombone, tam-tam, piano, double bass, electronics ], In: Crociera del Filarete [Ciclo di esecuzioni "dal vivo"] [sung text not yet checked]
  • by Christian Münch (b. 1951), "Als Gabe", 2002 [ soli, chorus and orchestra ], Musik für die wiederaufgebaute Dresdner Frauenkirche [sung text not yet checked]
  • by Einojuhani Rautavaara (1928 - 2016), "Da stieg ein Baum" [ voice and piano or orchestra ], from Fünf Sonette an Orpheus, no. 1 [sung text not yet checked]
  • by Andrew Schultz (b. 1960), "Da stieg ein Baum", op. 81 no. 1 (2009), first performed 2010 [ soprano, violin, piano ], from Stille sprache, no. 1 [sung text not yet checked]
  • by Josep Soler i Sardà (1935 - 2022), "Sonett 1", 1960 [ voice and piano ], from Die Sonette an Orpheus, no. 1 [sung text not yet checked]
  • by Rudi Spring (b. 1962), "Da stieg ein Baum", op. 64b (1995) [ baritone and tenor-hammered dulcimer ] [sung text not yet checked]
  • by Wolfgang Steffen (1923 - 1993), "Da stieg ein Baum", 1968 [ medium voice and piano ], from Vier Sonette an Orpheus, no. 1 [sung text not yet checked]

Settings in other languages, adaptations, or excerpts:

  • Also set in English, a translation by Margaret Dows Herter Norton (1894 - 1985) , appears in Translations from the Poetry of Rainer Maria Rilke, copyright © ; composed by Robert Cogan, George Perle.
    • Go to the text.
  • Also set in French (Français), a translation by Armel Guerne (1911 - 1980) , no title, copyright © ; composed by François Cotinaud.
    • Go to the text.

Other available translations, adaptations or excerpts, and transliterations (if applicable):

  • FRE French (Français) (Pierre Mathé) , copyright © 2010, (re)printed on this website with kind permission


Researcher for this text: Emily Ezust [Administrator]

This text was added to the website: 2009-12-18
Line count: 14
Word count: 100

Alors un arbre s'éleva. Ô pure élévation...
Language: French (Français)  after the German (Deutsch) 
Alors un arbre s'éleva. Ô pure élévation !
Ô Orphée chante ! Ô arbre élevé dans l'oreille.
Et tout se tut. Pourtant même dans le silence
apparurent nouveau commencement, signe et changement.

Des animaux fendirent le silence, sortant de la forêt
claire et libérée, de leurs gîtes et nids ;
et cela arriva, ce ne fut ni par ruse
ni par peur qu'en eux ils étaient si doux,

mais par ouïe. Mugissement, cri, brame
semblèrent petits dans leurs cœurs. Et où pas même
il n'y avait une hutte pour accueillir cela,

un abri issu du désir le plus sombre,
avec une entrée aux chambranles tremblants, --
alors tu leur créas un temple de l'ouïe.

About the headline (FAQ)

Text Authorship:

  • Translation from German (Deutsch) to French (Français) copyright © 2010 by Pierre Mathé, (re)printed on this website with kind permission. To reprint and distribute this author's work for concert programs, CD booklets, etc., you may ask the copyright-holder(s) directly or ask us; we are authorized to grant permission on their behalf. Please provide the translator's name when contacting us.
    Contact: licenses@email.lieder.example.net

Based on:

  • a text in German (Deutsch) by Rainer Maria Rilke (1875 - 1926), no title, appears in Die Sonette an Orpheus 1, no. 1
    • Go to the text page.

 

This text was added to the website: 2010-06-12
Line count: 14
Word count: 110

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